Breathe Again
by Cheeky Slytherin Lass
Summary: And maybe these wounds will heal one day. ::Five pairings, five nonlinear moments after the war. For Emma. 1. SeamusLavender 2. DeanParvati 3. AnthonyPadma 4. ErnieSusan 5. BlaiseDaphne
1. Chapter 1

1. SeamusLavender

A/N: With love, for Emma. Happy birthday, darling. Hope it's as perfect as you.

"Look at me," he pleads.

Lavender hesitates, tugging the floppy, oversized hat down and barely lifting her eyes towards him.

With a sigh, Seamus reaches out. She recoils at his attempt to touch her.

"Shay..."

But he doesn't let it stop him. His fingers grasp the brim of the hat, pulling it off of her head. Lavender tries to look away, but he tucks his fingers under her chin, his thumb caressing her scarred cheek.

"You're beautiful," he says, kissing her.

He feels her tears fall onto his lips, and he knows she doesn't believe him. But he won't give up until she does.


	2. Chapter 2

2. DeanParvati

She grabs the tattered sketchbook, delicate fingers dusting away the dirt that clings to the cover. "Yours?" she guesses.

Dean nods. "From on the run. It was the only thing that kept me sane."

Parvati turns to the first page, a beautifully detailed picture of Hogwarts scratched to life by quill and ink.

"Maybe you shouldn't look," he murmurs, sounding embarrassed.

Parvati wonders what could be in there that he wouldn't want her to see.

Landscapes. A goblin. Girls and a woman she assumes to be his sisters mum. Seamus.

And her face, over and over in black ink. Parvati nearly drops the book. "It's-"

"Creepy. I'm sorry. I just-"

She silences him with a firm kiss, unable to fight a laugh. "I was going to say perfect, actually."

Dean smiles at that, taking the sketchbook and turning it to a blank page. "I had to draw from memory. But if I had a subject..."

With a grin, she strikes a pose.


	3. Chapter 3

3. AnthonyPadma

Parvati emerges from the hospital wing, expression grim but hopeful. "Lavender is going to be okay," she says, relief evident in her voice.

Padma reaches for her twin's hand, but Parvati shakes her head. "I just need some time alone. If you don't mind."

"Yeah, of course."

OoOoO

The war is over, and the cheers still echo through damaged castle. But Padma doesn't feel like celebrating, not with all that's been lost

She finds a cracked window, staring out at the grounds below. They will rebuild and grow from this, but at the moment, she doesn't see how.

"Hey."

The voice startles her, and Padma turns, wand instinctively raised.

Anthony gives a sad smile. "I wonder how long it will take before we don't jump at every noise."

Padma laughs, but there's no humor behind the sound. Anthony understands.

He takes her hand gently in his, and they stare out the window together without a word, just enjoying the company of a fellow broken soul.


	4. Chapter 4

4. ErnieSusan

"Marry me," Ernie says as the first explosion of chaos rings through the castle.

Susan looks at him incredulously. "What?"

He shrugs, an apologetic grin tugging at his lips. "We might die tonight. Best that you know where I stand."

She almost laughs at how inappropriate his timing is. Shaking her head, Susan pats his cheek. "Ask me again when we're not about to die."

OoOoO

She visits him in St. Mungo's. His body is badly damaged by curse marks, but he still wears a smile like he's somehow above the pain.

"Marry me," she says, sitting on his bed.

His brows raise. "What?"

"You never asked me again, so I'm doing it for you. Marry me."

He reaches for her hand, thumb grazing her knuckles. "Yes."


	5. Chapter 5

5. BlaiseDaphne

She has become nothing. Just another Slytherin. Just another coward who hadn't fought.

Daphne pretends not to notice when they talk, but their words are heavy in her heart.

"Saw it myself. The lot of 'em were ready to hand Harry Potter over!"

"Miserable little toads."

She keeps her head held high, but she's breaking inside.

"They hate us," she sighs.

Blaise raises his brows. "Since when did you care what they thought?"

Daphne shrugs, tense and defensive. "I don't," she snaps, but her tone betrays her.

Blaise pulls her close, kissing her cheek. "It's a new start," he says. "Let's prove them wrong. Together."

"Together," she echoes, and the word is somehow enough.


End file.
